"So what is our next stage of the plan?" Vincent wondered.
"We can either choose another reactor. Or, make a stop at Cosmo Canyon." Cloud honestly wasn't sure which way to go.
"Nanaki?" Vincent made the connection.
"With three of us we can spread further. Make them second guess before we make for Midgar. We do need to have a better understanding on the state of the war, though."
"Any ideas how to make that come to an end?"
"No idea. I'm figuring this out as I go. Maybe it can be resolved once we cut off the snakes head." The blond shrugged.
"Do you intend to wipe out all of the department heads?"
"Too much work. No, just Scarlet, Heidegger, Hojo and the President. Palmer is debatable."
"You understand we might need Sephiroth's help with this, right? It would be better to hit them all in the same attack. If we take them out one by one it increases the chances of the company able to capture us." Vincent reasoned.
"...I know." Cloud didn't want to think about it.
"What of Rufus?"
"I am uncertain with him too. We will just have to see how it plays out." Around this time the man was an insufferable cocky bastard. However, once he was knocked off his high horse then he at least tried to set things right.
"He has potential to play the hand in change." The Ex Turk had the same thoughts.
"The trouble is getting him to stay in his lane." Cloud wasn't sure how to go about that part yet.
"Maybe it won't be so complicated." Vincent commented.
"Care to explain?" The blond raised an eyebrow.
"We will have Sephiroth with us."
Right.
Cloud has been completely forgetting that they want his help. The man would be easy enough to give Rufus pause to begin with. Actually everything will be easier.
"If he will actually help." Cloud had a few doubts.
"Somehow I don't think that will be a problem."
"Anyway," Cloud was going to ignore that. "We going to get our friend or what?"
He supposed it wouldn't be fair to make Nanaki wait. If Chaos sensed a disturbance then Nanaki and his grandfather for sure sensed something happened.
"Yes. I'm sure he will love the adventure."
xXx
Rufus had a strange dream. And he wasn't going to admit that it was haunting him. This proved to be a challenge as he continued to entertain the lunch.
He wouldn't stop staring at his hand. Rufus knows that there wasn't black spots over it right now. He had checked soon as he awoke from the dream.
"Everything all right?"
Rufus glanced up. These people were fake. With a sigh he wordlessly got up and walked away. He ignored the protests of the people he was supposed to entertain for the benefit of the company as he pulled out his phone.
"Mr. Vice President." Tseng answered promptly.
"Take me home."
"Yes, sir." The Turk didn't even question it.
Soon as he was in the car, Rufus removed his gloves. He stared at them both. This was all becoming a bit too much. Since when did he get anxious over a dream?
"Everything all right, sir?" Tseng noticed.
All right. Rufus decided to throw the dice.
"...What do you think of dreams?"
"You want my professional or personal opinion?" Tseng's eyes glanced in the mirror.
"Both."
"They say dreams can be a variety of things. Events yet to come, old memories resurfacing, or perhaps a connection between souls."
"I doubt I have a romantic sense towards this person." Rufus couldn't see it.
He will admit he can admire the stranger in his dream. Rufus has seen beauty all his life. But many of the people wearing a pretty face were fake on the inside. This was why he preferred the Turks so much.
They never beat around the bush around him. The eye candy was a bonus. This unknown person Rufus dreamed of was honest to a brutal point and didn't treat him special. Rufus would have been interested if he hadn't seen the distaste of him.
"Perhaps it isn't. But a connection can be more than just romance involved."
"If he even exists." The Vice President scoffed.
Then again, he was wondering. Someone that specific shouldn't just come out of nowhere in a dream. And Rufus rarely dreamed. Or if he did, he usually wouldn't remember them.
"Describe him. Perhaps I can keep an eye out."
Rufus wondered if he really will. Even so he took a chance anyway.
"Let's see. He's a bit shorter than myself. He appeared to be wearing some strange First Class uniform. His broadsword is nearly reflective. He almost looks ridiculous carrying it."
Rufus paused to think of a means to describe the hair. As he thought about it he noticed how stiff Tseng appeared. The Vice President continued anyway.
"His hair is blond in wild spikes. I suppose the best I can think of would be a chocobo. And then his eyes are deep blues. A shame it was tainted by mako, though. The green altered a bit of the natural blue."
The car pulled to a stop. Rufus was confused at first. He watched as Tseng pulled out a photo from his suit and handed it over. Curiously Rufus accepted it and soon as he saw it his heart dropped.
The same face stared at him.
"I want all the details behind this photograph."
A few hours later Rufus had mixed emotions. Not only was the dream true to some extent (he had his doubts about the illness part), but apparently this very real man destroyed a reactor. And he wasn't alone it seemed.
"So you narrowed down this person's identity." Rufus pointed at the gunslinger.
It was hell to get that out of Tseng. He knew when the Turk was withholding information. And so Rufus pressed the issue, hoping it was about the blond.
Only for their attention to be shifted to the companion.
"A Turk that went missing some years ago. I recall Veld grieving the loss about once a year. Apparently they were close friends." Tseng informed.
"Well, I can understand why he would rise from the grave for some form of revenge. But what about him? What is his agenda?" Rufus pointed at the blond.
"I am unsure at the moment. It has been left to me figuring out whether he can be recruited."
"He won't." Rufus scoffed.
If he was anything like the dream, this man won't come to Shinra to join. If anything he would come to destroy the company. If Rufus can gain an ally from him, perhaps he can salvage the pieces and reshape Shinra as a whole.
"Well, it can be safe to say they will be targeting more reactors. Probably those outside of Midgar. If we can somehow corner them at one of the reactors, you can get more information out of them." It was a hazard guess at best.
"Our choices are quite a few." Tseng pointed out.
"If they're traveling on foot, you've got time to choose."
Rufus sensed an inquiry.
"You're free to ask me what's on your mind."
"...Would you describe the dream, sir?" Tseng asked.
"I was in a wheelchair. All over my body is some strange illness where I have black spots on my skin. It's painful, but when he came to the lodge I remained calm. To keep the grotesque details of the illness from being seen, I had a blanket draped over me and half my face."
Rufus raised his right hand to stare once more.
"He comes in, and Reno immediately charges. Without even batting an eye he locks Reno outside. Rude casually approaches. They stared. Then in a blink of an eye the man's sword was at Rude's throat before he could draw his weapon."
Tseng remained silent.
"I approach in the wheelchair. We talk a bit, but I will admit I wasn't fully listening into the conversation. It feels like an out of body experience, my body is on autopilot on a script while I studied this man. However, I did get interested when I began talking about Sephiroth."
"Sephiroth?" Tseng was surprised.
"By the way we spoke, something drastic happened and Sephiroth went insane. I don't fully understand what was said, but this is merely a guess from what I've gathered." Rufus considered as he thought it over. "And there's a connection between Sephiroth and this man."
"Should I keep an eye on General Sephiroth?"
"It wouldn't hurt." Maybe Rufus wasn't the only one to start having dreams.
Maybe there would be a means to prevent whatever events the dream mentioned. And if Rufus was correct, then this blond man has already begun taking steps towards that goal.
It will be interesting to see how this strange man who literally appeared out of nowhere tackle Shinra. Rufus wouldn't mind watching from the sidelines. And if he could, maybe he can offer a bit of help through the Turks.